TIDWORTH Town Council is being proactive with its plans to tackle the risk of flooding in the town from the River Bourne with the purchase of 200 gel bags.

The council wants to improve on the town’s current plan of using sandbags.

Flood warden Andrew Connolly said: “The problem with sandbags is that they are extremely heavy and hard to move, deploy and store. Sometimes we will only get 30 minutes’ notice of a danger of flooding and getting them in place will be very difficult.

“With gel bags they are flat-packed so are easily stored, moved and deployed.

“I intend also to organise a get-together of residents in vulnerable homes to hear their thoughts and see how we can help them.”